Spain honors veterans of the International Brigade

Just last week the world was honoring in the Normandy beaches the veterans of D-Day from World War II. That some of them were able to travel 65 years after that important day from as far away as the US to France was already impressive. Yesterday, in London, England, another set of veterans, British and Irish, gathered in the Spanish Embassy to be specially honored and to receive Spanish passports in recognition of their actions and help more than 70 years ago. They were veterans of the International Brigade, the survivors of the more than 2,500 men and women who volunteered to join the fight against Franco’s fascists.
In a very emotional act, the Spanish ambassador, Carles Casajuana said that although Spain had changed - “now we settle our differences at the ballot box and not on the battlefield” - the country would never forget those who had given up comfortable lives at home to fight for democracy and freedom.
“Your fight was not in vain,” he told them. “Your ideals are part of the foundations of our democracy.”